The present invention relates to a book which is useful as a children""s book. More particularly, the present invention is related to a book which is constructed at least partially of foam. Most particularly, the present book is related to a book which has pop-out elements or manipulatives, each having the characteristics of being bendable with shape retaining elements. The books of the present invention are suitable, for example, as a bath time book, a puzzle book or as a standard reading book.
A variety of books are currently on the market which are constructed for use by small children. The types of books generally are soft and comprise only a few pages.
Pfaff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,241 discloses a book with just a few pages which is made by inserting the foam elements into pockets of a plastic or cloth material. Similarly, Marks, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,542 discloses a book in which a layer of a soft material is contained within a covering material. Neither Pfaff ""241 nor Marks ""542 teach or suggest including in the foam a shape retaining element.
Additionally, neither Pfaff ""241 nor Marks ""542 are suitable for manufacture solely by die-cutting the pages. Both require the additional step of inserting the foam elements in a plastic or cloth material. Thus, they are further unsuitable for providing figures or other elements which are removable from the page. Due to the plastic or cloth covering, cutting through the covering to cut out the foam elements would necessarily leave holes in the covering which render the book subject to tearing and otherwise make the book unattractive.
Mention is also made of Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,509 which teaches the inclusion of a bendable figurine attached to the outside of the book, but not die cut from the book pages.
Also, of interest is McDonnell, U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,102 which teaches a shape retaining book mark which is constructed of paper strips having an elongated, deformable metal or wire strand sandwiched between the paper strips.
Special mention is also made of concurrently pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/149,781 which teaches a book constructed solely of foam but does not suggest the inclusion of a shape retaining insert which would provide figures or elements having a shape retaining element.
Accordingly, it would represent an advancement in the art of providing books for use by young children if a book was provided in which had shape retaining bendable pages or alternatively, which had removable foam figures or other similar elements which could be bent and retain their shape. In this manner, the child would be able to play with the book or popout elements from the book more realistically thereby adding to the child""s enjoyment of the book.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a book which is suitable as a bath book.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a book which is washable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a book which may be constructed via a die-cut process.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a book which is adaptable to have puzzle pieces or other shapes die cut therein.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a book in which each puzzle piece or shape die cut therein is able to float on water.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a book which is constructed of a soft material.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a book in which at least a portion of the book includes a shape retaining element, wherein either or both one or more pages from the book, or a popout portion of the book, contains a bendable material having the characteristics of a shape retaining element.
Accordingly, these objects and others are achieved by the book of the present invention which comprises a front cover; a back cover; at least one page between the front and back covers; and a means for binding the front cover, back cover and at least one page; wherein at least a portion of one of the front cover, the back cover and at least one page are constructed of a material comprising a foam material, wherein at least a portion of the foam is provided with a shape retaining element which are suitable for use with or related to a theme of the book.